I have two routes in mind.
The one is ~14.3 miles long. Saturday we'll hike between 10 and 12 miles and Sunday we'll do 2 or 4 miles (be out in time to eat lunch, pack up, debrief and drive home and get ready for monday morning).
if you look at the topo map from the previous posting the 14.3 mile route starts at Blackbird Knob Trail and moves west then north up Rocky Ridge Trail and then southeast on Raven Ridge Trail to where it meets up with Upper Red Creek Trail (south) and cuts back to Blackbird Knob Trail (east).
The other is ~10.5 miles long. Saturday we'll hike between 6 and 8 miles and Sunday 2 or 4 miles. (same as above).
starts at Blackbird Knob Trail (west), North on Harmon Knob Trail (north) to Dobbin Grade Trail (east) to Upper Red Creek Trail (south) back to Blackbird Knob Trail (east).
Now, keep in mind that Dolly Sods hiking is considered moderately strenuous.
The average person, on average terrain can hike 3 miles per hour (without a backpack i imagine).
I know lots of you are worried that you're too out of shape, and i know two of you have asthma. BUT don't sell yourselves short. after all it's just walking! And those of you who are in extremely phenomenal shape (oh shut up, you know who you are!) are going to have to take it easy on the rest of us and not rub it in while we huff and puff our way up steep inclines.
So, anyway, back to the point of this post - do you have a preference?
I'll probably regret saying this at some point during the day on Saturday, but I'm leaning toward the longer route. It looks like the northern section of the Rocky Ridge Trail might have some amazing views.
ReplyDeleteHow are you planning on splitting up the two groups (if need be)? Do you think both will do the same route, but in opposite directions?
ReplyDeleteI think 3mph sounds high for hiking with a pack - average walking pace on a paved surface or whatever is around 3-3.5 mph - but 10-12 miles in a full day sounds perfectly reasonable. I'd definitely be game for that.
With any luck I'll figure out the gear I have to contribute this weekend and drop you a note. Thanks again for doing so much of the organizational heavy-lifting!